Bottle-washing machine



May 16, 1950 c. L. GERLACH BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1944 INVENTOR. CV/Hf/ LZS Z. 652L190 ux a YTO/P/VEV.

y 1950 c. L.GERLACH 2,508,021

BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4a 11 M45 @4 (47 s "W 'mmii'w m w Ell. 5"% 131 4 N II II HTTO/ENEH i atented May 1 6, 1956 "UNITED TATE-S PATENT oaFIoE BGTTLE WASHIN G MACHINE- Charles L, 'Geirlah,.Waukesha,Wis, ass'ignor Ito .Michal Yuridt 'Compan'yfwaukesha,"Wis a corporation"of'Wisconsin .ApplicationNovember 15, 19.44,;Serial:No.t563;490

:subjected to one or more high pressure jets of a sfiuid.

--Bottle-washing "machines generally comprise ,poWer-driven conveyors by whichthebottles are @carried through tanks containing uclea'ning solutions which are followed by tanks of rinsing water, the. several tanks being at different temperatures, and the machines may include means for brushing both the inside and the outside surfaces ofthe bottles and subjecting? both such surfacesito sprays of rinsing water and/ .or.s-team. One particularly effective form ofbottle-Wa'shting-machine includes high pressure jetting ofithe inside surfaces of the .bottles by means of a mixture ofiair and =Water,.and. .emp1oys nozzles movable into and outv of the bottles, as disclosed ;for example in United States Letters Patent 11 ,97 8,721, issued to Frank" Perkins on' October 30, 1934. lnmachines employingsuh structure,

; the .conveyor moves intermittently to. position each row .of bottles .over .ea'ch of two sets of nozzlesin two distinct 'andseparate steps, and :the bottles must remain in'the predetermined positions while theinozzlesiarelbeing raisediinto the ;bottles, during .the ,fjetting :er the interior of thelbo'ttles and while the' nozzlesare being withdrawn ffromihelbottles. Some variation "in bott1epositionis permissible with relatively wide mouthed bottles, such as in'ilk"bottlesflbut small mouthed bottles must be positioned within' relatively narrow li'niits. Bottle-conveyors, however,

.may not operatewith sufiiciently precise'move- ,ments to secure-the proper registry of the bottle .mouths and' the jetting nozzles-during a full cycle of operation oflthe jetting .means, and

such non-registry results either in breakage of 40 the bottles 7 or damage .to' the machine and particularly to the jetting nozzles thereof.

Itis therefore-an object. of thenpresentiinven iticn to,provide a bottle-washing machineof the type having nozzles Ifor jetting xthe'l-interiors of 2 jetting nozzles movable into and \out -.of .the bottles .during pauses in the movement of :the "bottles on "a conveyor through .a bottle-washing machine and \to, provideimeans for interrupting the operation of/the machinevunless the bottle mouths v are adequatelyocentered overtthel nozzles. -Another object of the invention ;is 1 to provide a bottle-Washing machine for preventingrgbreakage-of the bottles land-damage to ithe machine due to improperrpositioning l of the bottles. relative .to nozzles whichnarei movable ,into -.-and ent of the bottles andin which-themeans areusimple and inexpensive to manufacture, effectivehhd reliable in .operation, adjustable vto various kinds 15 and sizes of bottles, and-Tdurablel inconstruction. Objects and advantages'Jother thanthose above "set forth will be apparent ffrom itheiffollowing "d'escription"whenread in connection With the accompanying drawing "in which:

*Fig. 1" is "a 'sid'e'elevation of "a fragment of a bottle =washing' ma'chine "with'one" sidewallthereof removed for'disclosure ofthe rei'ationshippf the-structure of the-present inventi'on'withpther portions of themaohine;

Fig. 2 anerilarged side"--'e1evation of the "structure of the present invention and is-shown used in-connection with two different 'sizes a'r'id "shap'es ofbottles;

Fig. 3 is a view iooking -down*on the plane of "line III-IIL'bf Eig; 2;

Fig 4 is amend view-partially in elevation *and -partially i-n section on the plane of the a-line slv -lviof Fig.3;

:Fig. 5 is -a side elevationof one '-of-- the--=strucatural :elements iofzithepresentsinvention and l Fig.z 6 :isanze'nlarged view o'f the sa fety stop in the drivezforsthe bottlescentering:means.

Referring more :particularlyzto the drawings'aby :reference;numeralastheznumeral: 10 Itsee :Ei'giafi) iesignatesithe :sidecwalleforniingxtheienclosunesof bott1e-washingmachine supported on suitable :a-djustable-pedestals=1l l. :The: side wallseenciose means .-for supporting and .driving man endless :conveyor comprising s a i-plurality" of .openeen'ded pockets l2 ;pivotallyinterconnectedyandeseverally adapted to receive and retain bottles I3 invthat .reachof the rCOIlVlGYOI movingafrom: the',bottleloading :to ,the sbottle+discharging .end nf .the machine. The conveyor riS driven intermittently .lor step -.bystep' by. suitable powermeans, ancilthe various conveyors supporting .and. 'fdr'ivin means are well knownandnee'dinot' bel'furtherliiisclosed Zherein.

"The i'driveffor the conveyor is synchronized with or drives a shaftifll'extefidingg acrossithe longitudinal axis of the machine and protruding from the sides I thereof and has mounted thereon cranks 24 and 25. The crank 24 is connected at its free end with one end of an adjustable rod 26 having its other end connected with a crank 21 mounted on a shaft 28 also extending across the machine and through the sides thereof and having a second crank 29 fixed thereon. The cranks and 29 have links 38 and 3| connecting the free ends thereof with a cross head member 34, the movement of which is guided by a member 37. It will be understood that the driving connections from the end of the shafts 20 and 28 are duplicated on the opposite side of the machine and lead to a similar cross head 34. The links 30, 3|, cross head 34, and so forth are accessible through an opening .or openings through the side wall It], as shown in dotted line in Fig. 1, splashing through such openings being limited by baffles and 36 even when a door or doors for such openings are ajar or swung wide open. A washing head, indicated at 38, is mounted on the cross heads 34 and has a plurality of sets of nozzles 39 and 40 extending therefrom, the structure of the washing head and the nozzles being preferably as shown in the above entitled patent and hence not further described.

In operation, the conveyor drive so positions the conveyor 12 that the bottles 13 are moved in step-by-step action to bring the mouths of two adjacent rows of bottles severally into alinement with the rows of nozzles 39 and 40. The shaft 28 being synchronized with or driven by the conveyor v drive rocks and, through its connections with the cross head members 34, raises the washing head 38 to enter the nozzles 39 and 4E] severally into the bottles l3. Air and water are then forced through the nozzles as described in the above patent, and the bottles are internally rinsed by the jets issuing from the nozzles.

The positions of the bottles i3 (and to some extent of the nozzles also) are determined by means now to be described. A plurality of shafts 45, 46,

47, and 48 are mounted in suitable bearings indicated at 49 (see Fig. 3) on frame members 50 of the machine. The shafts are arranged in pairs and extend across the machine parallel to each other, and the shafts of each pair are operatively joined at one end by intermeshing gear segments 53. Shaft 46 is provided with a crank 54 connected by way of an adjustable rod 55 with a crank 56 on the shaft 48. The crank 56 is also connected by an adjustable rod 51 and a crank 58 with a shaft 59 which is rocked by cam followers 60 upon movement of a cam 6| driven by or in synchronism with the conveyor drive. Movement of the shaft 59 rocks the shafts 46 and 48 in unison and, through the gear segments 53, rocks the shafts 45 and 4'! severally associated therewith. The several pairs of shafts rock to the same extent but in opposite directions, that is the rocking of one of a pair of shafts clockwise rocks the other shaft of the pair counter-clockwise, and vice versa.

A plurality of fingers 62 and 63 are mounted in opposite and spaced relation axially on the shafts 45, 46, 41, and 48. The fingers are generally made as shown in Fig. 5 with a main finger body 64 having a mounting portion 55 on one end to cooperate with a separate mounting cap 66 in holding the fingers in any desired position on a shaft. The other ends of the fingers are formed as pads 61 extending at right angles to the finger body and the finger body has an ear 68 extending laterally therefrom.

It will be seen that a finger 62 and a finger 63 are oppositely mounted relative to each other to form a pair with the pads 61 movable toward and away from each other as the pairs of shafts are rocked. Hence, the pads 61, when moving toward each other, engage the neck of a bottle l3 to make certain that the bottle mouth is centered over its particular nozzle and the ears 68 form a guide for the nozzle to maintain the movement thereof in a true vertical line. It will be evident that the shape of the fingers, the vertical displacement of the shafts from the bottle mouths, and the angular movement imparted to the shafts by the drive mechanism are predetermined to insure rotation of the fingers below the level of the bottle mouths when the conveyor is in motion.

In operation, as the washing head is moved to enter the nozzles into the mouths of the bottles, the shaft 46, for example, is rocked clockwise, and, through the gear segments 53, rocks the shaft 45 counter-clockwise to bring the pads 61 into holding engagement with a bottle neck (Fig. 2 shows the fingers just prior to engagement with the bottle neck for the purposes of clarity in illustration). The nozzles 39, for example, now severally move up between each pair of fingers 62, 63, and within the space defined by the ears 68 of each pair of fingers. The ears 68 thus prevent displacement of the nozzles from a predetermined line which might cause forceful contact between the nozzles and the bottles.

Continued operation of the machine, when the bottle-centering means is not in proper operating conditions, is prevented by a safety stop associatcd with the drive rod, generally designated 51, for such means. The rod 51 is made in two parts with a hollow rod part 12 into which a rod part 13 extends. The two rod parts are normally held in a predetermined telescoped relation by a roller 14 mounted on one end of a bell crank 15 and urged by a spring 16 to move through a slot in the rod section 12 and into a roller seat formed in the rod section 13. As long as the roller 14 remains in the seated position shown, the one of the bell crank 15 is held out of contact with a roller 80 mounted on the operating element of an electric limit switch of known construction and indicated at 8!. Upon the occurrence of jamming or any other abnormal condition of the bottle-centering means, the exertion of force on the crank 58 in either direction causes the rod portion 13 to move relative to the rod portion '12 which moves the seat in the rod portion 13 out of the position shown. The roller '14 then rides up on the rod 13 and tilts the crank 15 against the action of the spring 16. Tilting of the crank 15 presses its arm against the limit switch operating roller 80 to open the mechanism of the switch 8| and thereby interrupt an electric circuit for driving the bottlecentering means or the entire machine as may be desired. As soon as the condition resisting movement of the bottle-centering means has been eliminated, the rod portion 13 resumes its former position in the rod portion 12 and the roller 14 again seats so that the switch 8! may reclose its circuit.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides means for positively positioning bottles of various shapes and sizes, particularly when bottles are used in pockets for a larger size bottle, relative to the nozzles of a washing head for internally rinsing the bottles. Such means includes a plurality of pairs of shafts extending parallel to each other under the bottle-carrying portion of the conveyor and over the reciprocating washing head. The shafts are rocked in unison and the shafts of each pair rock in opposite directions. The fingers are so mounted on each pair of shafts that adjacent fingers on such shafts form operating pairs movable toward and away from each other for positioning the bottles and releasing the bottles respectively. The means for reciprocating the washing head and its rows of nozzles, and the means for operating the fingercarrying shafts, are preferably driven from the bottle conveyor drive but in any event are synchronized with the conveyor movement.

Although but one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bottle-washing machine of the type having a power-driven conveyor positioning the bottles substantially over jetting nozzles movable into and out of the bottles, a pair of shafts mounted adjacent the conveyor, means interconnecting the shafts for rocking movement in unison and in opposite direction upon movement of one of the shafts, a plurality of fingers mounted on the shafts for coaction in pairs to engage and center the bottle mouths over the nozzles upon rocking of the shafts, means connecting the shafts with the conveyor for movement thereby and inserting means for interrupting the transmission of power to the shafts from the conveyor upon resistance of the shafts to movement.

2. In a bottle-washing machine of the type having a power-driven conveyor positioning the bottles substantially over jetting nozzles movable into and out of the bottles, a pair of shafts mounted adjacent the conveyor, means interconnecting the shafts for rocking movement in unison and in opposite direction upon movement of one of the shafts, a plurality of fingers mounted on the shafts for coaction in pairs to engage and center the bottle mouths over the nozzles upon rocking of the shafts, means connecting the shafts with the conveyor for movement thereby and including a plurality of telescopic rod portions, and means retaining the rod portions in fixed position relative to each other until shaft resistance to movement rises above a predetermined value.

3. In a bottle-washing machine of the type having a power-driven conveyor positioning the bottles substantially over jetting nozzles movable into and out of the bottles, a pair of shafts mounted adjacent the conveyor, means interconnecting the shafts for rocking movement in unison and in opposite direction upon movement of one of the shafts, a plurality of fingers mounted on the shafts for coaction in pairs to engage and center the bottle mouths over the nozzles upon rocking of the shafts, means connecting the shafts with the conveyor for movement thereby and including telescopic rod portions, and a roller urged into position to hold the rod portions in non-telescoping relation until the shafts resist movement by a predetermined amount.

4. In a bottle-washing machine of the type having a power-driven conveyor positioning the bottles substantially over jetting nozzles movable into and out of the bottles, a pair of shafts mounted adjacent the conveyor, means interconnecting the shafts for rocking movement in unison and in opposite direction upon movement of one of the shafts, a plurality of fingers mounted on the shafts for coaction in pairs to engage and center the bottle mouths over the nozzles upon rocking of the shafts, means connecting the shafts with the conveyor for movement thereby and including telescopic rod portions, a roller pivotally mounted on one of the rod portions for interengagement with and disengagement from a seat in another of the rod portions for retaining the rod portions in non-telescoping relation until the shafts resist movement thereby by a predetermined amount, and a spring acting on the roller mounting to urge the roller toward engaged position.

5. In a bottle-washing machine of the type having a power-driven conveyor positioning the bottles substantially over jetting nozzles movable into and out of the bottles, a pair of shafts mounted adjacent the conveyor, means interconnecting the shafts for rocking movement in unison and in opposite direction upon movement of one of the shafts, a plurality of fingers mounted on the shafts for coaction in pairs to engage and center the bottle mouths over the nozzles upon rocking of the shafts, means connecting the shafts with the conveyor for movement thereby, means including a plurality of relatively movable rod portions for transmitting power from the conveyor to the shafts, and means for interrupting power supplied to the conveyor upon resistance of the shafts to movement.

6. In a bottle-washing machine of the type having an electric powerdriven conveyor positioning the bottles substantially over jetting nozzles movable into and out of the bottles, a pair of shafts mounted adjacent the conveyor, means interconnecting the shafts for rocking movement in unison and in opposite direction upon movement of one of the shafts, a plurality of fingers mounted on the shafts for coaction in pairs to engage and center the bottle mouths over the nozzles upon rocking of the shafts, means connecting the shafts with the conveyor for movement thereby including a plurality of relatively movable rod portions lfOI' transmitting power from the conveyor to the shafts, means for retaining the rod portions against relative movement until the shafts resist rocking by a .predetermined amount, and a switch for interrupting the supply of power to the conveyor upon release of the rod portions for relative movement therebetween.

CHAS. L. GERLACH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,734,585 Ladewig Nov. 5, 1929 1,939,048 Gruetter Dec. 12, 1933 1,978,721 Perkins Oct. 30, 1934 2,249,614 Ladewig July 15, 1941 

